Harry Potter and the Girl of Hearts
by 4evrwithSirius
Summary: ABANDONED. Harry is heading to the states to help with the destruction of a new dark lady. He meets Kaya Nilai, a hesitant girl who is to show him around. He soon realizes that she was hesitant for a reason. Love is the worst thing for the one he is trying to help.
1. The Way Things Began

Chapter 1: The Way Things Began

I stared into the flames of the bon-fire. The light bounced off my gleaming black hair and sparkled in my chocolate brown eyes. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about why they were celebrating. They were celebrating the death of Voldemort.This wasn't the technical anniversary for his death. It was the anniversary of myfather's death. He had been the chief of the Ketchra tribe until he'd been slaughtered by Voldemort.

My tribe celebrates the death of the one who slaughtered the elders. My tribe is weird.My entire family is weird. I'm a princess, in more ways than one. My mother was the princess of India. In two days I travel to England to celebrate the death of Voldemort in honor of my mother. Why England? I haven't the slightest clue. Like I said, my family is weird.

My father had been the chief so that kind of made me a princess. But only if you think that modern day Indians follow the background rules of Pocahontas. Pocahontas's life is a lot like mine. We are both princesses, we both are trapped in our own palace, we don't have a choice in who we marry, and the tribe has complete control over our lives.

At least Pocahontas had a father. I am an orphan that lives with mygrandmother.

I hate life. I hate being a princess. I hate either having to marry Kimikua or Babant. Kimikua was my father and grandmother's choice. He was the descendant of one of the finest warriors in the history of the Ketchra's. Sure he was handsome but way too serious. And he was a squib. I didn't want a plain old squib. I wanted a wizard. A pureblood if I was lucky, but a wizard is the only match for me.

Babant was my mother and my uncle's choice. He was Indian. I think. We'd been friends in the three months I'd lived there. It was almost as if it had been a set up. My best friend for three months was supposed to become my husband.

What really sucks about my life is that I'm only sixteen. I get married when I turn seventeen.And what's worse? School starts tomorrow. And the famous, oh-so great, you have to be his girlfriend Harry Potter is coming sometime in the next couple of weeks. Apparently it's to train the new cursed one that is supposed to be the one defeat "Lady Akishra". I feel bad for her. How do I know it's a her? She goes to school for _wi__tc__hcraft_. And now the fate of the world rests on her shoulders. No pressure right?

Now you know my life. How both my parents died when I six, how my grandparents never speak because of the disagreement over my fiancé, and how I most likelywon't live to my seventeenth birthday.

Who am I? I'm Kaya Nilai, the Girl of Hearts.


	2. Wolftalons One to Change Everything

November 1

A young man squinted at the piece of parchment as a cloud moved away from the sun. He stared at it, wondering how this could possibly be a map. The parchment only showed a lined with two dots and an 'X'. He supposed one dot was supposed to represent England. The other must have been him because it was no longer on the other dot but extremely close to the 'X'.

As he scrunched his eyes trying to find any hidden meaning, the map spread, ink crossing in different patterns and making a map of the surrounding area. A large square appeared what looked like a mile away. It was labeled "Wolftalons".

The street he was on stretched a long way and the drive up to the school branched off it a mile up. Small squares were dotted along the road, giving the appearance of a little village. He looked around the area around him. It looked deserted.

The buildings were chipped with paint, the windows were cracked, and all the gardens were either dead or so run over with weeds the ground seemed to have risen an inch or so. But what was weird was that scattered along the road were perfectly painted homes and whole, shiny windows and perfectly groomed gardens.

He remembered the letter that the Headmistress of Wolftalons had sent him. It had read:

_We regret__ to inform you that your assistance is required immediate__ly. A new threat has begun to __form in North America, and I do believe that you may be able to help in __the __training__ of__ the one who is supposed to be defeating this new threat._

_I can not say much to you now, but if you accept, you will immediately be told everything. Lady Akishra __is searching for the one who can save us and you. If you have any reason to doubt my sincerity I must insist you speak with the remains of Professor Dumbledore, he will know what is wisest at this time._

_Please send your response as soon as you can. We would greatly appreciate your assistance but understand a denial._

_Sincerely,_

_ Madam __Ashanti_

_ Headmistress_

_Wolftalons Academy of Witchcraft_

He had seen the portrait of Professor Dumbledore and the professor had thought that this experience would be extremely good for the young man and the person he would meet. He seemed to think the letter genuine and had apparently been good friends with Madam Ashanti. So here he was. In Kansas, USA. He had no idea what he was getting himself into or what to expect.

The man walked up the road toward where the x was supposed to be. As he grew nearer, the old buildings seemed to clean up, as if by magic. The paint looked fresh, the windows were repaired, and the gardens had fresh flowers with an occasional gnome.

A sign appeared in front of one of the buildings on his right. 'Reboog's Wizard Wear' shined at him. For a mile he walked past buildings that appeared beautifully in front of him as he passed. The man could only assume that these were the wizard buildings. The ones that appeared normal at all times could only be Muggle buildings.

Eventually he met a bare stretch of land, country spreading for miles, where the drive up to the school met the main road. A sign pointed in the direction of the building that read Wolftalons. A sign pointing back towards the village read The Cave. He looked up at where the castle was supposed to be and couldn't suppress a gasp. He couldn't see how anyone would want to go to school here.

The look of it was a dump. The walls were crumbling; almost all the windows were broken. Some of them were gone, the towers were half gone, and moss now called what was probably a once fine castle home.

A gleaming black horse was waiting by the main gate. It had black eyes and was watching the man intently. He could only assume it was to take him to the castle. Uncertainly he pushed himself onto the silky back. Instantly, the horse walked directly in front of the gates and they swung open, leading the way down the brick drive.

The grounds were impressive, even if the castle was not. The grass was a lush, long green. There was a stone building off to the right, covered in moss up one side but it held an odd sort of beauty. There was a cottage to the left. Woods surrounded the entire school, giving a slightly trapped feeling.

Glancing back up at the castle he saw how different everything was. The building was completely rebuilt, giving a slightly new look. The windows gleamed and a greenhouse could be seen slightly behind it. The front doors were huge, at least twenty feet of oak, with a stone shelter that stretched for five feet. _'WOLFTALONS' _ was engraved on the front of it. It led into a small, round room that led into a long hallway with no windows. The hallway stopped in what looked like a hall. Two more hallways led off to the side, exactly the same as the first one but with windows, ending in a round room, giving the impression of a the bottom of a cross. The two halls led off to the rest of the castle. What looked like a greenhouse was directly in front of the main hall. The rest of the castle twisted behind it.

As the horse stopped in front of the doors, he steadied himself. The ride had been extremely bumpy. The man slid off, straightening his robes. The doors slid open with considerable ease, considering there size. As soon as he was in, the doors shut. Total darkness.

Cautiously, a foot came forward. Torches sprang into life, lighting the circular room. On the floor, there was a coat of arms engraved in the stone. 'Wolftalons' was engraved on what must be a ribbon. There were four sections, each with a different color and animal. A tan block in the upper left hand corner had a horse. The upper right hand was blue and had a wolf. The lower left was gray with an eagle. The bottom right was a black mountain lion. What got him the most was the fact that the animals made sounds and moved. The horse pawed the ground and let out a low whinny. When it was done, the wolf tipped its head to an invisible sky, so that it pointed to the black hallway and howled. The eagle flapped its wing and shrieked. The mountain lion turned its head to stare at the man with blank eyes and growled.

The man walked along the long hall that he had seen from the outside. Torches lit up with every step, casting an eerie glow along the partially lit hallway. Glancing to the side he saw his reflection staring at a reflection that never seemed to end. On both sides he saw mirrors that went the entire length of the whole hall and stretched from ceiling, which was at least thirty feet high. The pieces were rusted along the edges but held an odd sort of beauty in each. He could see his reflection curving back behind as the mirrors reflected him from each one, creating a never ending trail of him.

The hallway ended in a sunlit corridor. A set of double doors were in front of him and a hallway stretched to both left and right. The hallways were exactly the same as the one he just came out of but they both had windows. He opened the double doors and peeked into a huge Hall. Five tables were in there. Four were long and had one of the emblems on a banner above it, but the animals weren't moving or making sounds. The high table wasn't as long but still gleamed in the sunlight that was pouring through the ceiling.

At first glance, the ceiling was just like the one at Hogwarts where it was charmed to mimic the sky outside. But here, the ceiling was just window after window, so it was the actual sun that was pouring in.

The table had a large banner with the crest on it and a chair in the middle looked more like a throne. Backing out he walked left through the hallway and turned right when he reached a circular room. A grand staircase was in front of him winding around up and out of sight. He walked up them, his footsteps echoing against the stone. Classes must still be in.

The man stepped onto a corridor, high archways every ten feet or so, the floor polished to a complete shine and the wooden doors a deep oak with shiny silver handles. A shrill sound between a whistle and the clanging of a giant wind chime sounded through the hallways. There was a slight rumbling sound of distant feet headed his way.

Not wanting to be seen he pushed himself against the wall of an archway, obscured from view. A large group of girls came from a nearby classroom, giggling and chatting merrily, completely unaware of the stranger. A lone girl was coming from the opposite direction.

She seemed completely unaware of the group of girls that was steadily getting closer. Her eyes were drooping, her head was leaning to the side slightly, and she was staggering under the weight of the tons of books she was carrying in her arms. Her eyes snapped open at a rather loud laugh and the tired look on her face was replaced by a look of slight terror as she realized she was three feet away form the group.

She turned her body so she was facing the wall and skirted just barely out of the way of swinging bags. In the process of getting out of the way, she tripped over her feet and landed on her hands and knees, her books flying out of reach.

The man instantly moved forward to help the girl. She shook her hand slightly and swore, her curtain of long dark hair hiding her face from view. "Can I help you, Miss …" the man said, waiting for her to fill in the blank.

"Nilai," was all she said. He looked at inquisitively and raised an eyebrow. She sighed and said, "Kaya Nilai. And no," she said in answer to his question. She reached around looking for the last book that he had just picked up anyway. He squatted and handed it to her.

She looked up. Her face had the slightly slackened appearance of someone who's usually protuberant, surprised eyes were weighted down with fatigue. She glanced at the book before looking at the man with mild interest. She reached out slowly to grab the book, as though if she moved too fast he might attack. She shoved it in her bag and sighed as she looked at him again. "I expect you would like to see Madam Ashanti? She's been expecting you," she added as he looked at her incredulously.

"Er, yeah," was all he managed to say. She walked back in the direction she'd come, taking him down the stairs he'd come up and down the hallway that he'd gone through. She stopped in front of the room with the greenhouse roof's doors.

"This is the Diner Hall. You must wait here. You'll know when to come in." She walked through the doors into the Hall. The doors closed behind her. The man did as told and waited. He didn't know when he was supposed to come in or where he would sit or anything. The man began to pace. He could hear a muffled voice making some sort of announcement. The voice paused as he reached the spot right in front of the doors. He paused too.

An odd sound came from within the Hall and almost immediately afterward the doors opened. The sound was thunderous applause, coming from thousands of students standing at one of the four tables. There faces shone in the slightly eerie glow of the candles that sat on the tables. All of the people in the Hall were trying to get a better look at the man. The same voice he had heard before greeted him, booming over the noise of the applause.

"Welcome Harry Potter!"


	3. Kaya and the Beginning of the Year

Ch3: Kaya and the Beginning of the Year

September 1, same year

Kaya was running around, trying to find her froggy beanie. "Aha!" She exclaimed when she found it under her mattress. She never did understand how her things got shoved under there. _Probably Rakeem, _she thought.

She wasn't even entirely sure how he managed to get in the room at all. After shoving the beanie into her trunk she dragged it out of her room and onto the landing. Glancing around to make sure her grandmother was nowhere to be seen, she bewitched the trunk so she could move it effortlessly down the stairs. Halfway down the stairs she heard a shriek, "KAYA'ATON'MY SOKANON NILAI!"

_CRASH!_

The trunk landed on the stairs, making Kaya's heart stop. With loud thuds the trunk slid down the carpeted stairs and with another huge crash, hit the wall. "KAYA!" her grandmother's voice echoed all over the house. Kaya winced.

"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING YOUNG LADY? MAGIC OUT OF SCHOOL! NOT EVEN OF AGE! I SHOULD HOPE YOU WERE RAISED BETTER THAN THAT!"

Her grandmother's shadow could be seen marching down the hallway. Her head poked around the corner and she glared up the stairs. Her copper skin had a weathered look about it, her long salt and pepper hair was braided over her shoulder, her face lined with age. Her usually kind face was filled with rage.

Kaya grimaced at her grandmother's stare. "Yes Eelé?" she asked in what she hoped was a semi-innocent voice.

Her grandmother glared at her for a moment before inspecting her long fingered hand. "Care to tell me why your trunk is in the wall Kaya'aton'my?" She was careful to use Kaya's full name. It made her flinch. Taking Eelé's words into consideration, she gazed at the wall at the foot of the staircase. She grimaced.

Her trunk was in the wall. Not against it, _in _it. There was a gaping hole where the trunk had so unkindly collided with the poor wall. She heard a snicker behind her but didn't bother to turn around. It was her annoying cousin, Rakeem. The one who loved to hide her stuff.

"Sorry Eelé! I was just trying to save time. I know! _No underage magic!_" She added at the indignant look on her grandmother's face. Kaya huffed.

Eelé seemed to be struggling with an internal battle before saying with a forced calmness, "Dear, you're going to be late! We must leave now."

She turned away from the stairs and shuffled into the kitchen, muttering to herself all the while. Kaya hurried down the stairs. She heaved her trunk out of the wall and pushed it down the stairs into the front hall. She raised her wand and was about to repair it when her grandmother shouted from the kitchen, "Don't you dare think about repairing it yourself! I'll do it when I get back! You are just like Iice. Just _hurry!_ I've already told you we are LATE!" She bellowed the last part.

Kaya huffed again before shoving her weight against the trunk, sliding it slowly down the hallway to the front door. She threw open the doors when she finally managed to get there.

A blast of fresh air met her on the other side of the door. She took a deep breath of the pine fresh air and exhaled slowly, savoring every moment. Eelé yelled something at Rakeem. _Moment gone,_ she thought. She lugged her trunk to the apparition spot, sat down on her trunk, and waited.

Thinking ahead to her sixth year, she failed to notice her family coming out the door. She had an odd feeling about the year. It was something she couldn't explain. She just had a feeling she would hate it.

"Ready! KAYA! Wakey wakey Kaya," Rakeem taunted in her ear. She grunted in reply and pushed him away. Her grandmother held out both of her arms and they each grabbed one. They spun on the spot and were gone with a soft pop.

When the feeling of suffocation passed, she opened her eyes to the sight of the far end of the High Road in The Cave, the village just outside of her school. She turned to Eelé in question. "Why are we at the far end? Aren't we supposed to get the horse at the gates?"

Eelé frowned and didn't answer for a moment. "I don't know," she said finally. "You get a carriage hear and then you ride Lightning up to the school."

Kaya smiled at the thought of Lightning, her favorite horse at the school. Looking to the right, she found the carriages that would take her to the school. There was one last one open and she rushed forward to claim a seat. She peaked in and saw a girl with shoulder length blonde hair buried in a book.

Kaya grinned slightly to herself before beckoning Eelé and Rakeem over. Rakeem looked extremely put off about something but decided she didn't feel like asking. A whistle blew somewhere and Kaya heaved her trunk into the carriage. Her grandmother shook her head at who knows what and looked over her granddaughter for a moment.

"Aren't you forgetting something, dear?" She asked the question, catching Kaya off guard. She froze mid-climb into the carriage. She turned around slowly to see Eelé holding a bag of cookies. She forgot snacks every year.

"Qe'ci'yew'yew Eelé," she said, grinning sheepishly. Eelé smiled slightly and kissed Kaya on the cheek. Kaya returned the favor adding a quick hug. She kissed Rakeem's cheek and he wiped off his cheek, looking mortified. Kaya giggled.

"I expect you'll be staying here for the Christmas break, correct?" The question was asked every year and the answer was always the same: Kaya nodded fervently. Eelé smiled before ushering her into the carriage.

The door shut just in time: The carriages were already taking off. She glanced at the girl next to her. Her best friend, Samantha Flowers, looked up from her book. She shrieked and hugged Kaya hard. Kaya laughed and returned the hug. "What took you so long," she demanded, her brown-blue-green eyes flashing dangerously. The blue outline of her was becoming lighter, almost a crystallized-gray look about them.

"I accidently rammed my trunk into the wall. It was no big," Kaya said shrugging. Samantha laughed. Her already rosy cheeks turned red, her pale complexion turning pink. When the laughter subsided, (Samantha's face was pale again) they looked at each other. They took in how much they had changed.

Samantha's usually long, partially wavy hair was cut to her shoulders. Light layers in the hair surrounded her head and she had side bangs that fell to her cheekbones. The ends stuck out slightly, about a ¼ of an inch away from her head. It didn't give her a bad hair day look, more of a look of a china doll. The china doll look was complete with red lips and light freckles.

"Did Eelé blow up again?" Samantha never had managed to get the pronunciation right and she didn't care. When Kaya nodded she sighed and searched her bag for something.

"So. My dear Samantha-" she was cut off by a murderous look from Samantha and continues "-Fine! _Sam!_" (Sam smirked and turned away.) "As I was saying. How was your summer Sam?" Sam didn't look up for a minute. She was probably deciding whether or not she should answer her because she was called Samantha at first. She hated it. Only her parents called her that. She turned around and said indifferently, "The same."

Kaya looked out the window and sighed. They were the same. Some days that didn't know how to shut up and other days they didn't want to talk. She tugged absently mindedly at her light brown sweater and smoothed an invisible crease from her jeans.

Glancing up the road, she decided to put her robes on. "You might want to do the same," she told Sam when she had twisted her hair into a knot at the center of her head. Sam nodded and pulled on her robes. They were both thankfully from the same House: Loyal. Their tan robes made out of the suede leathery stuff that Kaya's ancestors used to wear were the only ones of the four houses.

In other words, each house had a different color robe. Loyal house had the suede tan robes. Ambition house had silk sky blue robes. Cunning had a cottony gray robe. Well, no one was sure what it was made of. It looked like silk but felt like cotton. Courage, the largest house, had black robes of cotton. Most schools didn't even have houses, especially the all one gender schools. But her all girl school had four houses, four colors, and four animals.

Kaya was the only one with robes that had been made to look like Native American robes. They had suede tassels from the sleeves and around the ankles and she was wearing moccasins. She was the only one from her school to be anything but all American or English. Come to think of it, there was a French second year in Loyal. Kaya wasn't entirely sure how she had forgotten; they had spoken French together and drove the rest of the house insane.

Fun times.

The carriage came to a sudden halt and Kaya jumped out of it immediately. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of sunset. She and Sam made their way to the gate. They looked along a row of horses until they spotted Lightning and Comet, their favorite horses.

Lightning nickered at Kaya's approach. Comet's head swiveled to Sam and he nodded his approval. The girls giggled. Lightning and Comet were both jet black and had only one marking: Lightning had a thin white blaze down his face in the shape of lightning. Comet had a patch on his rump with dapples following to look like a comet.

Kaya and Sam mounted and the horses set off immediately. "Did you hear? We might be getting a guest his year. Just someone to visit only this year. He's supposed to be doing a service to Madam Ashanti," Sam said randomly after a minute of silence. That was another thing about them. They were both random but Kaya was worse, or in her opinion better.

They talked about how they didn't know anything more about the mystery guest, about how they thought the new greenhouse looked good, about how they hoped they would be getting a new Potions master (Professor Dangquest, Professor Dungpants to the students, was the foulest professor at the school) and their views about the upcoming year.

Lightning and Comet stopped by the doors. The girls hopped off, patted the horses good bye and set off for the Diner Hall. The front doors were open, and the circular room just inside the door was filled with light. The animals from the crest's cries reverberated of the stone walls and floors. The Hall of Mirrors was just as mystical and beautiful as ever. The stepped into a great downpour of light on the other side of the hallway and walked through the doors to the Diner Hall. They found two spots right next to each other halfway down the table immediately to their left.

Once they had sat down, they both stared aimlessly around the Hall, looking nowhere in particular and seeing nothing of importance. They paid very little attention to the sorting. It was always the same, the professor of Madam Ashanti's choice would place a stool directly on top of the frozen crest engraved on the floor in front of her spot. The first years and professor all had the same bracelet on. The girls would sit on the stool and, depending on the student, the professor would shout out the house that bracelet chose.

Loyal stood up and applauded as Racquelle Apperdon joined their table. It was the same for every first year added to each house. It was Wolftalon tradition. The rest of the feast went off without a hitch. The chicken, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, apple pie, key lime pie, and ice cream were particularly delicious. Kaya made a mental note to thank the house elves later.

"Ta'c stuff!" Kaya exclaimed when the silver plates had wiped themselves clean. Sam groaned at her use of the Ketchran language. Kaya grinned.

Madam Ashanti stood up and announced things such as the forest is out of bounds, the heads of houses should be notified if they want to choose an elective, and the list of banned objects which wasn't very long considering that there weren't any boys to use it.

"And now, as many of you probably know, we have a special guest coming this year," the headmistress stated. She had almost everyone's attention. Almost. Kaya was almost certain that she didn't want to hear what her headmistress wanted to say. "I want each and every one of you to be on your best behavior and respect him. He no longer attends school but he has a very high expectation of what he will find here given the standards of his old school. Now, I am not sure where our guest will be lodging, but I want the house that is housing him to be that much more careful."

Her eyes swept over the crowd and she smiled lightly. She was losing Kaya's attention fast. Kaya didn't care if there was a guest coming or not. She wanted sleep. She needed sleep. Madam Ashanti continued, "Now, our guest is coming here on my request to help with the given circumstances. I don't want you bombarding him with questions. Mister…" but Kaya didn't hear the rest. Her mouth was agape and she was staring blankly through the window ceiling and she was close to sleep. A sharp elbow in the ribs woke her up.

"Ow! You are so painful! You know that?" Kaya exclaimed while rubbing her ribs furiously. Sam smirked and shrugged.

"Come on! Feast is over," Sam said, making her way through the crowd to go up to their dorm. Kaya hurried up and followed.

They walked along the hallway to their left and pushed their way through a group of Ambitions to get to the stairs. They were on their way to the third floor when Kaya remembered something. "Why are we getting a guest? Didn't Ashanti say he was here to help with the circumstances?" Sam nodded but said nothing so Kaya continued. "How long will he be here?"

Sam shrugged before saying, "'Til the job's done I s'pose."

Kaya nodded slightly before asking the question she dreaded the answer to. "Who is it?" She thought she knew who it was and Sam hadn't even looked at her. If she was right, life was about to become hell.

Sam slowed down before turning to Kaya and saying those two dreaded words. "Harry Potter."

Kaya stopped dead and stared at Sam. She had been right most unfortunately. Sam gave a sympathetic smile when Kaya groaned. Then Kaya stamped her foot tilted her head to the sky and screamed.

She had been right: THIS YEAR WOULD BE HELL.

Eelé (aalah) means Grandmother Kaya'aton'my is Kaya's full name Ta'c (tawts) means good Iice (eetsa) means mother qe'ci'yew'yew (katsee-yow-yow) is thank you Sokanon means Rain and is Kaya's middle name

Those words are real words from a Native American language. They are not made up. And all of the stuff in parentheses is pronunciation.


	4. Of Mysterious Personalities and Hatred

Of Mysterious Personalities and Hatred

"Welcome Harry Potter!" The muffled voice that had been heard from the door was now calling out to him, welcoming him into her welcome arms.

He stood frozen for a moment, as though a spotlight had been placed on him mid-crime. The applause that represented thunder to his ears seemed to shock him into his senses. His foot managed to figure out the way toward movement. He made his way forward, following his foot, as though it was a magnetic force.

Harry glanced around him; faces were shining up at him, all beaming with pleasure that seemed to reverberate off the walls. He could sense their pride. He was oddly numb as he continued to walk through the hall but felt as though he were going nowhere. It was halfway along the table directly to his left, facing him and as far away as she could get. A single familiar face.

Kaya brought her hands together once or twice but otherwise, her arms were folded over her chest. A blonde girl next to her was clapping enthusiastically, her face seemingly glowing. She leaned in to whisper something in Kaya's ear. Kaya frowned as she listened before staring at her with a sort of confusion and misunderstanding. The blonde was biting her lip as she gazed at her as though willing her to understand.

Kaya then grinned before leaning in to whisper something back, covering her lips with her hands so that either the blonde could hear better or to make sure no one had a chance of hearing. The blonde threw a glance at Harry before gazing at her friend in obvious disappointment. Kaya shrugged and turned to watch as Harry made his way up to the High Table, just passing her point at the table.

He focused his attention on the table coming within reach. For the first time he looked at the owner of the booming voice. A pale skinned witch with dark hair in long, elaborate curls was positively beaming at him. Her navy eyes matched her long, sweeping robes. Even from here he could tell she had long dark eye lashes that framed her almond eyes with a beauty that could not be described. Her thin frame was tall and strong. Her arms were held wide open with an air of trying to grasp something to huge for human possibility.

The staff was all stern looking. They all applauded the celebrated hero as he made his way toward their table. But Harry could tell that they did not entirely want him there. He did not blame them. The castle was beautiful, but it wasn't England.

He missed his cozy flat, the butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta, and the increasingly lonely strolls through Hogwarts as he made his way to see his former headmaster. But aside from little details that would mean little to anyone else, there honestly was no reason for him to stay there. He needed to move on and a new castle, new people, new country, and new everything was just what he needed.

He made his way around the table, scooting behind pushed back chairs and avoiding eye contact with the heads that swiveled to get a better view. Harry found the only empty seat at the High Table, right next to the Headmistress. He pulled the chair back slightly so as to get a better chance of getting in without tripping. The professors all sat down and Harry did the same.

The students were still standing and clapping. A couple of the girls screamed and laughs broke out from parts of the tables. He hadn't noticed the robes before, all the girls he had seen were in the same color: tan. The different tables had different color robes to match the banner above their table.

Ashanti held out her arms, welcoming them as if she hadn't seen them in years. The girls all sat down. They all watched their Headmistress as she took in the scene around her. They weren't very subtle in throwing him glances what felt like every five seconds. Madam Ashanti clasped her hands behind her back before addressing her students.

"Our guest has finally arrived! Now, I am sure his journey was long and tiring so he is not to be hassled. I am sure he will answer your questions but only on his own time," she said smiling somewhat sternly before beaming down at Harry. She continued, "Now, I do believe that our feast is ready. So please, enjoy!" She sat down and the students applauded.

Chatting broke out immediately. It was oddly scattered, as though the attention was somewhere else. There weren't any golden platters to fill up with random food. There was a menu spread along every four people.

Ashanti was gazing at the one in front of her. "Ah," she said. And then there were chicken legs on her plate. She looked at a particular spot on the menu and then there were mashed potatoes and some sort of long vegetable on her plate. She smiled at it: Harry gaped at it. She glanced at him and smiled at his disbelieving stare. "Just choose what you would like for the night and think of it. I do suppose that shall work for you as well."

Harry scrunched his nose in disbelief and at her odd choice of words. He gazed at his menu and chose turkey and honey glazed carrots. He picked up his fork and smiled at his over filled plate. The food was delicious and so similar to Hogwarts.

He ate in silence for five minutes, taking in everything around him. He didn't know anything about what he was to do here, where he was going to stay or who he was supposed to be here for. He now realized the only reason he had agreed to come here was because of Dumbledore. If it hadn't been for the portrait, he'd still be in England doing who knows what.

It was as though she had sensed his thoughts. She smiled understandingly at him. "You have befriended Miss Nilai, have you not?" Harry stared. How on earth would she know that? "I have my ways Mr. Potter. I do think that she would be an ideal person to show you around. She and her friend Miss Flowers will be able to inform you of everything you should desire to know. I don't think the professors would mind if you sat in back of the classes. No, I do not believe it is a good idea to tell you exactly why you are here or who I wish for you to assist. I shall be as Dumbledore was when I say that I am entering a world of guesswork but unlike Dumbledore I do not feel it wise to tell you until I can be utterly sure." She smiled at his odd feeling of her being similar to Dumbledore in many ways. She looked at Kaya, who was laughing at something with the Flowers girl, before continuing, "The two of them know where you are staying and will be able to take you there after dessert. I shall let you know when I have more information which I have a feeling is soon."

The fact that he couldn't learn everything now was oddly disappointing, and he didn't see the point in being here right now if he couldn't start this journey immediately. There was nothing he could do at the moment. He didn't feel hungry anymore and as if on cue, a smaller menu appeared in front of him. _Desserts_, he thought to himself. He didn't want anything. His plate vanished. He took a sip of his pumpkin juice. _Life gets more interesting by the year._

Harry stared aimlessly at the wall across from him. He hardly noticed when Ashanti stood up again. "Now, as wonderful as this night may have seemed, I cannot say that it gets better by not having classes tomorrow because you do. Which is why we shall all get to our comfortable beds and drift to our own worlds of fantasies! So pip pip and off to bed now!" She sat back down and nodded at Harry before turning to a conversation with a professor on her other side.

Taking this as his cue to leave, he stood and headed to the table at which Kaya and her friend were still seated. The friend looked up at him and beamed when he arrived. Kaya kept on plowing on with her argument on nifflers, ignoring him to the best of her ability. "… which is why nifflers would make the best fluffy and adorable pets!" Kaya exclaimed, still not looking up.

The friend grinned at him before standing up. He grinned back and she blushed. "I'm Sam Flowers by the way," she said, holding out her hand. He grasped it briefly, noticing how her fingers were cool yet her palms were warm. "Ignore her. She's no good with new people," she muttered under her breath as Kaya stood up, fiddling with a strap on her bag.

"Shall we trot on to our jolly good beds and slippers?" Kaya asked in what could be heard as a British accent that wasn't trying too hard, linking her arm through Sam's.

"Yes! We shall trot on to our slippers and jolly good beds," Sam said in the same lame try at the British accent. They then skipped in step out the door, leaving a bemused Harry behind. Sam came back in a second later, ginning sheepishly, and grabbed his wrist to drag him out the door. The turned left along the moonlit corridor.

Kaya was waiting for them at the end. They went up the staircase identical to the one he had gone up merely hours before in silence. It was a slightly awkward silence.

They had gone up five floors on the stairs, pushing their way through crowds easily, when they stopped at a mirror. _This school might as well be the school of mirrors,_ he thought to himself. Kaya ran her hand along the side, searching for a spot. She smiled and must have found it because the mirror opened to reveal a wooden door behind. Kaya beckoned him towards her.

"See this little dent in the frame of the mirror? Push in to it and it opens," she said, showing him what she meant. He nodded and was about to turn the handle to the door when she spoke again. "We'll be two floors down. We can show you the common room later. See you tomorrow at breakfast I guess. Unless you are still asleep because we are five hours behind what you are used to." She turned and walked away without another word.

Sam and Harry gaped at the odd girl. Harry could tell she would be one to get used to. "I think she hates me!"

Sam sighed. "Like I said, ignore her. Well don't completely ignore her because that just encourages her. Just ignore most of what she says. Well, goodnight!" She said brightly. They were both just as weird as the other in his opinion.

He muttered to himself before walking in to his room, "Oh yes. This year will definitely be oddly interesting."


	5. Unbelievable Truths and French?

Unbelievable Truths and… French?

"Je ne fais pas sanglant le croit!"

"Oh, pipe down will you?"

"But it's true! Je nefais pas sanglan le croit! I'm not a liar! How do you expect me to express myself without lying in English?"

"I hate you," she muttered irritably.

"Pardon moi? I know you wuv me!" She loved to tease her when she commented on how much she hated her. But it wasn't her she hated, it was….

"Escuse moi! Fine, I hate it when you speak French. No let me try to guess what you were saying. I caught the I and the don't and the bloody and the it but what was the other word?" She furrowed her brow in concentration. Realization dawned on her face and she questioned her sudden find. "Let me guess, you said that you don't bloody believe it. OH! And I bet that you were talking about Harry weren't you?"

"You know me so well, Sam," Kaya grinned before redefining her first statement. "But it's true that I can't believe he has to be _here_ of all places and _now_ of all times."

Sam rolled her eyes. "It's not like you're getting married to him. You don't even have to spend your entire day with him! You're not even his guide! So forgive me if I become impatient and say you should shut the heck up! I love you K but he's not that bad! He saved the world. Muggle included," she added with an impressed smirk.

"Then why do you think we were the ones chosen to lead him to his 'private quarters'?" She used her fingers to make air quotes. "I think Ashanti could have chosen anyone to lead him to the Diner Hall and to his quarters and why are we the ones to host him at Loyal's table? Why not Courage's table? At least there he fits in. You know how precious Gryffindor was the house of courage." She paused as though considering something before adding with a huff, "He saved Europe. We didn't need saving. Especially Wolftalons."

"Ashanti must have her strange reasons that she alone knows. Perhaps she felt as though we were the only ones capable of showing him around and he is loyal so he may fit in with us."

Kaya had no reply so Sam continued, "Now on to more pressing matters. How are you fairing?" Concern was annoyingly evident in her eyes. Kaya didn't seem to know how to answer or was going to pretend she didn't understand. They sighed simultaneously.

"It's just hard you know? I mean I'm fine any other day of the year. Well, except those bloody commemorating services. But it's not even the same with dad. I don't feel the same way with Toot'a as with Iice. Forgive me Toot'a but I miss Iice more than him. And I can't celebrate November 1 with pride anymore." Kaya sighed. She hated November 1. It was Iice's birthday and hadn't been a good day since she was seven. Sam looked at her sympathetically and turned her head to look out the window in their common room. Kaya frowned; that was something she normally did.

As though speaking through their minds, they got up without a word and headed to the exit. Sam took a sharp intake of air and swirled to block Kaya's view. "Um, it's Harry so please hold your temper. He's not evil, yet."

Kaya rolled her eyes and plastered her best smile on before shoving her way past Sam. "Harry!" She called in an all too happy voice.

He beamed at her. Kaya inwardly grimaced at the way he had warmed to her faster than the other two people he had met here. "Kaya! I was just going to look for you in the Diner Hall, but I remembered that I have no idea had to get there. So will you show me the way? Please," he added as though it would help. In all normalcy she would have shouted no but it didn't seem like she had a choice. So she nodded.

He trailed behind them silently until they reached the Diner Hall. He grinned at Sam and smiled shyly at Kaya. She seethed silently. "Thanks. I never was good with directions," he said before making his way to the High Table.

Madam Ashanti chose that moment to walk down from the High Table. Her brisk pace would get her to them within seconds and they were standing in the middle of the doorway. As they moved to get out of her way she turned so she was heading to them. Ashanti slowed as she came upon them, her eyes twinkling slightly to match the stars on her witch's hat. Kaya gulped; this couldn't be good.

"Good morning isn't it, ladies?" Ashanti's question caused Kaya and Sam to glance at each other. Ashanti wasn't usually one to make small talk with her students. She continued anyway, "I have more questioning affairs to ask of than just the morning. Now, I was wondering if you would be willing to show Mr. Potter around the school today. He'd sit at the back of your classes of course. Perhaps taking him around the grounds during breaks. And while he is more than welcome at the High Table, he should be given the option of staying with House Loyal. Would you be up for such a job?"

They were frozen in place. Sam was trying to mask a look of glee; Kaya was trying to hide a look of horror. Neither could say a word. Why should they be the ones to be delegated such a nasty job? Correctly interpreting their silence she continued, "Of course any of the other girls would be delighted to act as his guide until he knows the school fairly well. So if you do not want the job I will go and contact them-"

She was interrupted by Kaya's sudden outburst of, "Why us? Why are we your first choice? We are your first choice aren't we?" Ashanti nodded so she continued, "So why us Madam Ashanti?"

Ashanti watched the girls for a moment before saying rather vaguely, "I have my reasons. Would you girls like the opportunity or not?"

Kaya didn't answer. She was too horrified of having that blubbering buffoon following them around all day. She was about to turn the headmistress down as politely as possible when Sam couldn't hold herself anymore and exclaimed, "Yes! We or rather I," she corrected herself when Kaya's elbow found her way to Sam's ribs, "would love the job." Sam flashed an annoyed glance at Kaya; Kaya grinned.

Ashanti was positively delighted, almost as though they were setting the wheels in motion of something. "Lovely! I shall inform him now. He will join you at your table. Make sure you don't lose him." She smiled lightly at Kaya when she muttered, without trying to make it inaudible, "I'd love to lose him in the pond."

She turned away and headed to the High Table. "This is unbelievable!" Kaya exclaimed when she was out of ear shot.

"But it's the truth. Your unbelievable truth," Sam said in a semi-serious tone. Then Sam grinned. "At least now you get a chance to know this sweet and innocent hero! And he gets a chance to make my life heaven and yours hell!"

Kaya glared after her and at him. She growled slightly. "OH! Je le deteste!"

Sam stared blankly after her and asked, "Meaning…?"

"I HATE HIM!"

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! Couple of words in my Indian language: toot'a is father iice is mother I love the French language so I will be using it a lot in the story. I try to translate everything within the story but if it's not, look in my A/N because it should be here. If I forget, ask in a review and I would love to tell you! But please tell me if you loved and or hated it! Next couple of chapters will be Harry's POV. I love your reviews!**


	6. Discussion That Sheds a Little Light

Discussions That Shed a Little Light

It was weird to sit at the High Table. He wasn't a part of the staff and the house tables just seemed more welcoming to him. But he was the honored guest and Madam Ashanti insisted.

It was just one of those things that take some getting used to.

It was breakfast the next morning and Harry was still getting in the flow of things. Kaya and Sam still had to show him around and his seat was still right next to Ashanti's. But all in all, he liked Wolftalons. It was strange finding beauty in a castle that wasn't his home, Hogwarts. But the people were friendly enough. Certainly. Well, that is, of course, except one particular Loyal.

Kaya still refused to acknowledge him, and if she did she was sarcastic. She seemed to hate him and he'd met her the day before! She made no sense to him and yet, there was something extremely intriguing about her. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

But whatever it was that she didn't like about him he was determined to find out. And if she wouldn't tell him then he'd get Sam to. Sam seemed to like him enough. And then there was the fact that she had been utterly exhausted yesterday. Looking over at her spot at her house table she seemed completely alive, laughing with Sam at something someone said.

Of course he could just be paranoid and she probably just couldn't sleep the night before. It had certainly happened to him a fair amount of times. But for some reason he didn't think so. Once again, he just couldn't put his finger on it. And if she refused to tell him than he'd get Sam to do it. Again.

"Are you alright dear? You should really finish your breakfast. It's almost time for class! Would you like some toast?" Ashanti's voice broke through his train of thought and he looked dazedly at her. She looked at him in concern and held out said piece of toast. He took it and muttered his thanks, taking his time while chomping on the toast to look around the hall.

"So what am I supposed to do today? Am I going back to Potions 101 and what not or am I spending the day in private meetings with you?" Harry said thickly through a mouthful of toast. He swallowed hard and looked at her expectantly. She seemed to consider his question before looking at him to reply.

"I think a little bit of both. There's not much I can tell you at the moment but rest assured that you'll know as soon as I figure out something. As for classes, they start in five minutes. You are more than welcome to join Miss Nilai for class or have one of your new friends show you back to your quarters. I'd be willing to write a note excusing them from class. It is your choice. And there's always the possibility that one of them has a free period right now." He nodded after a moment and shifted his gaze to the rest of the hall where benches were scraping against the floor and floods of students made their way to the door.

Harry didn't move for a moment, contemplating what to do next. As a part of the crowd moved away he could see Kaya and Sam still sitting at the Loyal table. He got up from his place at the High Table and made his way to where they were. Kaya glanced up as he got closer and a look of horror crossed her face. "I'll see you in Charms, Sam," she muttered hastily before scurrying out of the way.

Harry heaved a sigh and flopped into the seat she had previously been occupying. "What's with her?" Sam could only shrug. They remained silent for a few moments before he decided that Kaya would never stick around long enough to answer his questions. "Can I ask you something?" She nodded and he continued, " Why was she so exhausted yesterday? I don't think it was your regular I couldn't sleep story."

She shook her head and stood up. "Walk with me. And no, it's not. Yesterday was her mom's birthday." At his look of confusion she smiled blandly. "I forgot you don't know. Well both her parents are dead, kind of like yours, only she knew hers for eight years. She's got this habit of not sleeping Halloween night so she can sleep through her birthday. Only this year her plan backfired because we had school yesterday." She said nothing else so he continued.

"Oh. I didn't know, well obviously but I know what it's like and it's not pretty. But I have another question."

"Shoot," she replied.

"OK, why does she hate me so much? We met yesterday." She stopped walking and turned to him slowly.

She smiled sympathetically and shook her head. "She's a different person than anyone can see. She's a bit judgmental but she's got her reasons. There's a lot more to her than meets the eye, but I don't think it's my place to tell you that. You'd have to ask her," she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes, "Just give her time, OK?"

Her hand slid off as she started walking again and he muttered to himself, "Yah, I'll do that."


	7. She Finally Talks!

She Finally Talks!

Kaya didn't want to believe it. She had to spend an eternity in hell because of him. Well _she_ hadn't helped much, but _he_ was the reason for everyone's misery. He was the reason that people were in pain, that people had grown up without family members, that people were dead.

She hated him and the life he had forced her to live. Everything was his fault and no one seemed to realize it. It was either that or they didn't give a care. But most of them couldn't care less about the little orphan girl who wasn't important enough for anyone's concern. Especially Harry Bloody James Bloody Freaking Potter. He didn't attempt to hang out with her because of her. No, it was only because Ashanti wanted Sam and her to show him around the school until he knew it well enough on his own and then he would be off meeting the girl that would save the world. Oh joy.

Oh! How she pitied that poor girl. She would have to endure the torture that _he_ would bestow upon her. No one deserved such punishment. Not even Christie Donth, the oh-so popular Ambition. Kaya hated her but not even she deserved the torture of spending the entire day with Harry for around a year.

Kaya sighed, making her way out of the sitting room not far from the Headmistress's office. There was only one place she wanted to be right now and that was the Moor. She went there any time she needed to think. She navigated her way through the halls nonchalantly, her mind on other things and problems.

She decided to stop by the Diner Hall knowing that Sam would be in there for another five minutes at most considering it was 8:36 PM. As usual, Kaya had her friend's schedule memorized and Sam was, indeed, in the Diner Hall reading _The Cave Times_, the newspaper that covered the nation's news, both Muggle and wizard. Sam didn't look up when Kaya sat down next to her but said hello and offered her a piece of toast.

Kaya smiled slightly and took the piece of toast. She grabbed the spoon from the basin full of apple sauce and dropped a bunch of onto the piece of toast. Even though Sam hadn't looked up, she knew what Kaya had done and a look of pure disgust covered her face. "What?" Kaya exclaimed indignantly. "It all ends up in the same place anyway!" Sam laughed and shook her head disbelievingly. 

"Have you talked to Harry?" Sam asked casually.

Kaya stiffened and said, "Why would I do that?"

Sam sighed and set down the newspaper before looking at her with disappointment. "You know you need to. You're going to have to spend the rest of the year with him. Look, I'm not saying you need to be buddy-buddy with him. It's not like you're engaged or anything. I'm just saying that you shouldn't hate him before you know his side of the story. He's only human, and every human makes mistakes."

Kaya didn't say anything for a few seconds before saying, rather indifferently mind you, "I'll be at the Moor." Sam sighed and nodded, knowing she hadn't made any difference. Kaya walked out of the Diner Hall with her apple sauce toast.

The Hall of Mirrors distracted Kaya and she spent at least five minutes watching the different mirrors stay stationary. When she continued her journey down the hall, she was completely alone. The grounds were quiet and seemingly empty. The moon's light shimmered across the lake and the trees swayed in a slight wind. The cliff that made up the Moor loomed ahead and she smiled slightly as she remembered some of the good times she'd had up there.

When she had reached the top she smelt the sweet smell of the fresh grass and tilted her face against the wind. This place always managed to bring her peace.

Harry glanced around the Diner Hall for Sam or Kaya. He would have looked somewhere else but this was the only place he knew how to get to. Sam was folding her newspaper and looked about ready to go upstairs. He went to the table and sat down in front of her. She said nothing but grabbed a rather large apple. She looked up at expectantly after furrowing her brow at the hole in her now bitten apple. He just smiled and shook his head slightly before asking, "You seen Kaya lately?" She raised an eyebrow in question but said nothing until she swallowed her apple chunk.

"Yup. About ten minutes ago she went out to the Moor. Go out of the Hall of Mirrors and through the oak doors and then go about ten yards and it's the cliff on your left," she added at his look of utter confusion as to where the Moor was. He muttered his thanks and followed her instructions until he was ten feet behind Kaya on the Moor.

Her hands were in her back pocket and she didn't seem to notice anything around her. She swayed slightly and he stepped forward but she balanced herself and he stayed behind. Her long hair blew in an invisible breeze. She bowed her head and her chest shook. She collapsed into an Indian style sitting position and her entire body shook.

He walked forward cautiously, not wanting to disturb the obviously wounded animal that was her soul. He joined her in the Indian style sitting position way and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at his touch but he did not shy away. She turned her head away from him before pulling herself up. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly. She shook her head as her body shook again.

"I may not know you very well, but I know enough to know you're lying to me," he said sternly but she just shook her head again. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Sam the day before. "Why do you hate me?" Kaya looked at him with an odd look on her face.

She sighed before saying, "I don't hate _you_ necessarily. I hate what you've done. You took your sweet time in Hogwarts while the rest of us tried to stay alive. People died because you decided to wait until you were seventeen to go search for the Horcruxes and people got hurt because you were too busy mourning Sirius! People ended up losing their whole families because you were playing Dumbledore's perfect pet while people became like me because you didn't start your job until it was too late! You have become this horrible, ignorant, little fool and you've hurt innocent people! And while I don't hate you there's something I do hate and it's what you've done to the innocent."

Harry blinked at her and frowned when a look of utter seriousness crossed her face. He looked up at her; neither of them was sure how she'd managed to get up there. He stood up and wiped his hands off on his pants. He wasn't sure how to respond to anything she had just said. So, not looking her in the eye, he settled with, "Thank you." 

It was her turn to blink. "For what?" she asked, completely bewildered. She had just insulted him beyond what she had imagined herself managing. What could he possibly thank her for?

"For telling me the truth. No one ever tells me the truth like that and I appreciate it." They stood in silence for a few moments before he asked her, "You really miss them don't you?"

She didn't need to ask who he was referring to: she already knew. "So much," she said, her voice catching in her throat. He reached out and pulled her into a hug so she could sob into his shoulder. Strangely enough, she hugged him back. Harry smiled slightly at the thought that she finally talks!


	8. First Meeting With Ashanti

**First Meeting with Ashanti**

It had been two weeks since the night on the Moor. Neither had mentioned it to the other; neither found it necessary. Sam didn't know about what happened out there but could certainly feel the difference between them. Kaya was no longer glaring at Harry and while she preferred not to talk to him still, she was polite the few times that they were required to talk.

Harry had not been to any of the classes so far- Kaya was not complaining- because he spent most of his time looking over maps of the area around the Cave, an area somewhere in California that was reported for Death Kissers (Akishra's followers) activity, and then a map of the entire United States. And you can't forget all the _Times_' articles that he would take with the occasional _Prophet_ article that, for some reason, had information and the Death Kissers and Akishra. He was good friends with the head Aurors in both Britain and the U.S. He'd managed to get reports and files on particularly vicious Death Kissers. 

And he'd even gone so far as to see if there was anything on the new Chosen One. He asked the Head of Department for the Department of Mysteries from any country that seemed to have a connection to Ashanti, and some that had none, for files on prophecies contained inside the department. He was looking for books that might have myths on how a Dark Lord or Lady chose their vanquisher.

And while there was hardly anything on Akishra in the library, Harry got an inkling of some of the things she did from asking local students. Ashanti had yet to invite Harry to a meeting to give him any information on why he was there.

But Kaya was still wary of him when any topic of Akishra was brought up. Harry had an inkling of why the topic bothered her so much but one could never be sure. Sam didn't seem to notice her discomfort but probably would know better than Harry would.

He was currently sitting in his private quarters with the girls. They were doing some weird hand game while he was going over a particular report on recent Death Kisser movement.

Kaya and Sam gave a rather loud shriek of laughter. Harry glanced up to see them on their backs, laughing at something they had just done. Harry focused his gaze on Kaya; she was looking at Sam with a sparkle in her eyes. Her laughing had slowed slightly so she could breathe and she was beaming. She felt 

his gaze and she looked at him. She smiled slightly before looking away. Harry smiled lightly and went back to his report.

It had been about ten minutes since Kaya and Sam's laughing incident. Nothing drastic had happened. Harry was reaching for a report in a huge stack and ended up knocking the whole stack down. Kaya sigh and came over to help clean up the mess. Her blouse was undone enough that he could see a mark on her breast bone. Kaya raised an eyebrow when she found his gaze, obviously assuming the wrong thing, and Harry laughed. Kaya raised the other eyebrow, obviously not finding it amusing. "No! No it's not what you think. I saw a mark on your chest and it intrigued me," he exclaimed rather lamely.

Kaya rolled her eyes and glanced over at Sam to make sure she wouldn't see what she was about to do. Sam was in her own world, playing with a piece of paper. Kaya reached down to the buttons and undid one of them. Harry had the sudden urge to help her rip open the entire blouse. He mentally slapped himself and let her continue. She undid one more and rolled her eyes at Harry again. "Don't get to happy. I'm only going to show you what you saw."

She showed him the mark he had seen. Its shape was unique and Harry couldn't quite put his finger on it. "It's a heart that's been cracked down the middle almost the entire way. I'm pretty sure I've had it since birth. Eelé thinks it has a story behind it. She finds it odd that I was born with a scar and not a birthmark."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think." She fingered the edge of it. On impulse, Harry reached out and traced the same pattern as her. She slapped his hand away. A look of pure furry had crossed her face and she hastily buttoned up all the buttons on the blouse, pushing herself away from him as she did.

"I'm sorry! I- I don't know why I- I'm s- sorry." Harry stammered an apology. She shook her head angrily, fury making her incapable of speech.

Sam looked over at him. She was obviously paying attention. Harry was about to apologize again when there was that weird whistle sound he had heard on his first day there.

Harry jumped up, whipped out his wand, and looked around for the source of the sound. Sam and Kaya laughed at his antics and Kaya muttered, "Paranoid." She appeared to be pretending nothing happened so that Sam wouldn't become worried.

Kaya went to the wooden door, her long hair swaying with her as she went, and pulled it open. She backed away from the door to let the guest in. Madam Ashanti stepped in and smiled at Sam and Harry. Kaya looked at them with utter confusion on her face. She and Sam seemed to be having a silent conversation. Kaya glanced at Harry and tipped her head to the side in curiosity before looking at Harry with a look crossed between horror and awe.

"Good day. I see you have found acquaintance enough to be conversing in the same room. Excellent. Yes, quite, considering the incident that occurred just a moment ago. Now, I think it is time for an explanation, Harry," Ashanti looked pointedly at Harry before continuing, "If you will come with me then. Yes. And girls, I think you should go for a snack and enjoy our beautiful weather! So! Shall we all go on to our new duties?" She whirled around and made her way back out of the room. Kaya hastily followed.

Sam was still mulling over something. Harry offered a hand and she took it. "What incident happened a moment ago?" Harry shrugged and followed Kaya's path out the door. The Headmistress and Kaya were out of sight by the time they made it to the corridor. Sam smiled and pulled Harry by the wrist down the opposite way of the usual route and took him through a mirror he'd never be able to find again. The path was steep and the lighting was dim. A torch would light only when passed, just like the Hall of Mirrors.

About five minutes later they found the other side. Harry had to squint to block out the light from the brightly lit corridor. Sam led him to a large stone room that had a huge statue of a witch. There were two large windows that might be found in a cathedral across from them and a smaller window of the same style above the statue. They found Ashanti standing near the statue. Sam whispered a good-bye before heading off to the Diner Hall.

Ashanti turned and walked to the statue. She paused a moment before the statue split in half just below the head. She walked through. The statue was rumbling closed and Harry raced through just as it closed. He looked around and saw a spiral staircase just in front of him. He hurried up the staircase, following the light pad of footsteps just above him. Ashanti was waiting at the top.

She touched the door and it swung open with ease. She gestured to a squashy chair in front of her desk. He took one and looked around her office. There was a door behind the desk on the right, an empty perch beside the desk and windows that went the length of the wall opposite him. Ashanti said nothing but grabbed a book from her desk and went behind him. Harry thought she would go out the door, for that was the only thing he knew of that was behind him, but she went up a set of stair to a long shelf of books to put the book back.

"I suppose that I'm only sure of one thing," she said as she slid the book into place. She turned around and leaned on the rail. "So I will tell you only one thing." She made her way down the stairs and sat in front of him. Just as she was about to say something, a burst of flame appeared on the perch. A beautiful bird with red and fold plumage was sitting where the flame had just been. "Kara, my Phoenix. As I was saying, I know one thing. And I'm quite positive of it. Oh yes, I am sure. I am quite certain I know who you are supposed to be helping."

"I was hoping that I could learn something about Akishra as well as this-"

"She is identified by a mark. The mark is the same thing as the sign over the area where Akishra or Death Kissers have murdered. You have seen this girl before. And now you will have to stay in close proximity to her. Kaya can help you if need be and so can Sam."

Ashanti said nothing for a few moments so Harry took this as his chance to get a word in. "If I have to stay with this person constantly, how are Kaya and Sam supposed to be my guides?"

"I don't think that'll be a problem." 

After a moment of thought, Harry asked, "Who is she?"


End file.
